'The Coalfield Regeneration Trust'

We all know that the loss of the mining industry was a body blow to our community. As new houses go up on the old Westoe Colliery site - and isn't it good news that there is such demand for them - I know that many people will be thinking back to the days when 1000s of people worked there. Today there are less than 20 collieries around the country, employing less than 5,000 people.

People often ask me what special help there is for former coalfield areas. After all we have many of the poorest wards in the country, many with above average levels of unemployment and social deprivation.

In 1999, the Government launched a new initiative, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, to help tackle high unemployment and social problems in former mining areas, and to help regenerate these run down areas and restore them into thriving, economically secure communities.

The Coalfield Regeneration Trust is the first and only grant-giving organization dedicated to making life better for people in coalfield communities. In the four years since it was established, many positive changes have taken place in former mining areas, as grants of all sizes have helped good ideas become successful and sustainable projects.

Now, four years after its creation, our communities can see real benefits thanks to grants from the Trust.

The Coalfields Regneration Trust helps to fund activities that fall under 6 broad themes, including resourcing and empowering communities to help local people take a more active part in regenerating their community, encouraging enterprise to help develop local community enterprises, promoting lifelong learning by improving access to education and skills development, supporting employment to help communities achieve economic stability, enhancing environments to protect natural and built environments within coalfield areas, and promoting good practice by identifying and becoming actively involved in identifying projects that demonstrate excellence, creativity and achievement.
All of this is very good new for coalfield areas, but how does it benefit us here in South Tyneside? Well, the Coalfield Regeneration Trust has distributed more than half a million pounds - £523,875 to be precise - to projects based in South Shields alone since 1999.

This represents a huge level of investment into community groups in our area, and has funded projects as diverse as the establishment of a community employment and training resource as part of the Maren Project, improving disabled access at the Rekendyke St Jude Parish Hall, and the building of wicket covers at the Marsden Cricket Club.

Other groups who have benefited include the All Saints Community Association, the Rekendyke Neighbourhood Initiative, the South Tyneside branch of the Altzheimer's Society, and the Readhead Park Veterans Social and Bowling Association, not forgetting Harton School, who received a very welcome £100,000 to build their impressive Community Lifelong Learning and ICT Centre.

Funding from the Coalfield Regeneration Trust has allowed these projects, all of which are playing a key part in the revival of our communities, to go ahead where otherwise they may not have done, showing the Government's commitment to helping areas suffering through the collapse of the mining industry to recover, and once again become thriving, vibrant communities.

Any groups or organisations who can show that their project, idea or activity would benefit a coalfield community could be eligible for a grant - to find out contact the local office of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust at The Eco Centre, Hebburn, on 0191 428 55 50.